Umbrella



May 30, 1950 S. SCHLESINGER UMBRELLA Filed June l, 1946 lum 41k l :IlW ii..

May 39, 1950 s. scHLEslNGER 2,509,887

UMBRELLA Filed June 1, 1946 2 sheets-sheet a 51e/Ww JZHLES/Na IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES Arent OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates te umbrellas, and has for its main object to` provide an umbrella which will be telescopically collapsible, and which will have a novel, more encient construction and operation than` similar umbrellas, used or known` at present.

Another object of this invention is to provide a telescopically collapsible umbrella, as` characten ized hereinbeiore, which may be collapsed by simply exerting opposite pressures at the two ends of its stick, and, similarly, which may be extended by exerting opposite pulls at the two ends of the stick.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an umbrella of the type indicated which automatically but releasably will be secured in its extended or its collapsed positions.

Other objects of this invention will be partly pointed out, and partly apparent, as this speciication proceeds, and, among others, I may inention: to provide a novel, improved, collapsible, telescopical, umbrella, in which one single basic element may be used for releasably locking the umbrella, both, in its extended and in` its collapsed positions, which will be inexpensive to manu'- facture, whi-ch will be reliable, easy, and, so to say, fool-proof in use and operation, in which, in addition to a telescopica] stick, telescopically collapsible ribs will be employed, and, in which, by the mentioned simple pressure or pull, the stick, and all the ribs, may simultaneously be shortened or extended and also secured in either of these positions.

In the drawings forming part of this speciiication and accompanying the same:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view of my novel umbrella, in its telescoped position, parts of the same having been removed for clearness in showing its construction;

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of my umbrella, showing only its frame, the mechanical construeu tion of the parts thereof, in an extended position, the umbrella being closed, one stretcher and one rib element only being shown, and other parts or the umbrella also having been removed for the sake of clearness;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the pivotal and telescopical connection between the upper and lower rib sections in my umbrella, and

Figs. 6, 'l and 8 are various views of the telescopical connection between said two sections, while Figs. `9 and 10 show additional details relating thereto;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show details `of the means to secure the telescopical stick of my umbrella in its extend-ed position;

Figs. 14 to 17 show details of a spring for locking the runner on said stick in the open position for the umbrella;

Fig.- 18 is a perspective view of a preferred spring employed in my umbrella construction for `securing said 'runner in its lower position when the umbrella is closed; and

Figs. 19 to 2l show a modification for the locking means of the runner in said open position.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, by characters of reference, the numeral 36 indicates the mechanical operating means and construction, or frame, oi my novel telescopical umbrella, in general, the same being composed of a telescopic stick member, generally indicated by the numeral 3l, a lower handle or grip knob 3 2, an upper central securing knob 33, a runner 3, slidable upwardly and downwardly on the telescopical stick Iii, a plurality of ribs, generally indicated by the numeral 35, and the pivoted stretcher 36 for the same.

It will be understood that` in Fig. l, I show only one complete such rib and stretcher construction, and the upper section of another one, to better adapt Fig. l for the explanation of the construction and operation of my novel umbrella, to be .followed presently, and, similarly, in Fig. 2, I

show only one such rib and stretcher construction, generally in a diagrammatical manner, for the same reason, but a plurality of such ribs and stretchers will be arranged, around the top central knob 33 and a pivot collar 3Go on the runner S, respectively, as it is usual with um.- brellas, and it is well-known to those versed in this art.

My telescopical umbrella stick 3l is generally composed of a lower tube 38, into which may be slid, in a telescopical manner, an upper tube 3g. A sleeve member is secured to the upper end of the inner or upper stick tube 39, as by pins Ill, and. the upper central kncb 33 may be secured on said sleeve l?, as by the screw thread engagement, indicated at 2, while the plurality of umbrella ribs may be pivotally secured around the cirfumference ci the lower part of the sleeve it, as indicated at dll.

A ring `may be secured at the lower end of the outer or lower stick `tube S, as by the pin It., and the lower handle knob 32, of the um brella may be secured on said ring, as by the screw threads 4l.

The runner 3,1% is in the form of a tube, slidable on the outer stick tube 33, and it carries the ring 38d, around the circumference of which are pivotally secured the lower end of the stretcher member 35 as indicated at 49.

A disk G is secured into the lower tube 38, towards the lower end thereof, and a guide bar 5l is secured on the said disk, as indicated at 52, said bar, in the embodiment shown, being or' rectangular cross-section and passing upwardly along the inside of the lower stick tube 38 up to adjacent its upper end, the upper end of said bar being generally indicated at 53. This bar will be used for securing the umbrella stick, both, in its collapsed, and in its extended position, as will be more fully explained presently.

The means by which the umbrella stick is secured in its collapsed position are indicated in Fig. 1. A disk 5t is secured across the inner or upper telescopic stick tube 35, having a rectangular opening `55 therein (Figs. 1l to 13) through which opening E55 the guide and securing bar 5l may slide. A spring member 56 is separated from the material of said bar 5i, near its lower secured end 52, said spring having the cam action1 lower outer surface 5l, and a locking tooth 53, at its lower end. It will be seen that when the upper stick tube 3&3 is pressed downwardly, telescopically sliding within the outer lower tube 38, the disk 543 will press the spring 55 inwardly, passing over its outwardly bulging cam surface 5l and coming tc a stop against the locking tooth 58. The two tubes now will be held in their telescopical contracted position by the action of the comparatively strong spring 5S. When it is desired to use the umbrella, or place it with its stick in an extended position, tube 39 will be pulled upwardly out of tube 3S, the force of Said pulling pressing the spring 5S inwardly and permitting the passing of the disk 551 in the inner tube over the cam surface 5l, and the two tubes will be pulled into the extended position shown in Fig. 2; the locking means oi' which position is illustrated in Fig. l1 and in the section or Fig. 12, being taken on the line i-EZ of Fig. l1.

It will be seen that when the inner tube S9 is pulled outwardly oi the outer tube 38 near to its limit, it will be locked against further movement by said disk 54, secured thereinto at its lower end, and engaging, in said outermost position of the tube 39, the two upper locking teeth 59 at the upper termination oi lrhe guide and locking bar 5l.

For this purpose said bar is forked at its upper end, and two oppositely pointing spring members t9 are formed from the same, having an outward resilient tendency. lThese spring arms, or fork branches, have the outwardly curved cam surfaces 5i, and at an upward pull of the inner tube 39, the appropriately rounded end surfaces of the hole 55 in the disk vEffi will press the spring arms t@ inwardly, acting on said cam surfaces 6i, and said disk then may pass said springs, but it will come to a stop against the upper locking teeth 59 thereof, as shown in Fig. ll, whereby the further outward movem ment of the inner tube 39 is prevented.

The reverse, downward or inward, movement of said tube will be prevented by the action of said springs 69, as will be understood, said springs only yielding to an appropriate force pressing tube 39, and the disk 54 at its lower end, inwardly against said springs, and again compressing them by acting on the cam surface 6l. Appropriate apertures 62 are also provided in tube 39, above the disk 54, and smaller such apertures 63 are provided in the outer tube and at such a distance from its upper end, that when the parts are in the extended locked position, as indicated in Fig. 11, said locking teeth 59 will pass through the respective openings or apertures 62 and 63, and thereby prevent a relative twisting motion between the upper and lower tubes 38 and 39.

'Upper and lower catch springs, generally indicated at t4 and 65, are used in my umbrella for locking the umbrella frame construction on the extended stick in its upper, open, position or in its lower, closed position, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2.

When the umbrella stick is in its extended position, the umbrella being ready to be used, but the same being closed, as indicated in Fig. 2, the lower spring 65, being in the lower stick tube 38, will snap through appropriate openings in the same, and in the runner 34, its tooth then locking the two parts, as will be understood.

In Fig. 2, I also indicate, in an imaginary manner, by dot and dash lines, the extended umbrella frame when it is opened up to be used, and in that position the upper spring Si will protrude with its locking ear 68 through an opening in the upper tube 39, and will engage the lower end of the runner 35 and will keep the same and the whole umbrella in an open position, as it is usual, and is wellknown in this art.

However, I have employed original constructions for both, the upper and lower catch springs $13 and @5, respectively. The construction and employment of the upper locking spring is illustrated in Figs. 15 to 17, and in Figs. 1 and 14, respectively. The upper spring 64 is made of a blank 64a of plate material, as shown in Fig. 15, said blank then being twisted in its middle stem portion 66a, as indicated in Fig. 16, until its upper locking head proper 68 will be in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the lower, securing, portion 68a, thereof, after which the upper part will be bent in an appropriate direction, as indicated in Fig. 17. The lower portion 66h of the stem 66a, will be somewhat weakened to permit such operations and to increase the resiliency of the spring, and restrict it and concentrate it to the right place. The lower securing plate portion 68a will have two teeth or pins 59, and the spring will be secured within the inner upper tube 39, as indicated in Figs. l and 14, by riveting its pins 69- into appropriate holes therein, whereby said spring lock 34 will be placed at the side of the guide rod 5|, in such a manner that the operation of one will not interfere withthe operation of the other, the upper locking head 68 of said spring being adapted to protrude through an opening or slot lll in the tube 39, when the runner 34 is in its upper position, as indicated in Fig. 2. Such a position of the spring head 88 is alsol indicated in Fig. 1 by dot and dash lines in an imaginary manner.

The lower securing spring, generally indicated by the numeral 65, is shown in a perspective View in Fig. 18, and its employment at the bottoni portion of the inner stick tube 38 is shown in Fig. 1. According to the preferred form to be used in my invention, said spring will be formed of one piece of sheet spring material, of which an appropriate blank will be cut, as will be understood by those versed in this art, the lower portion of said blank being formed into the open, at, spring ring 1I, from which will upwardly project a spring stem or arm 12 being appropriately weakened, as shown at 12a, to increase and localize the spring action. The upper end of the blank will be formed into the locking tooth or projection B6, and its material. at that point, preferably will be foldediouble. A projection or pin 14 will be provided on the spring ring ll, and when it is desired to insert said lower catch spring in the tube 38, said spring construction will be pushed ,into the tube in the position indicated in Fig. 1, andits pin or projection ill will then snap into an appropriate hole in the tube 38a (not shown), as will be understood. A limiting surface 15.may be provided on the stem 12 underneath the locking ear 6,6, by which surface 15 the spring device may rest on the wall of the tube 38.

The locking ear 66. will project through said wall by aperture 16 when the runner 34 is to be secured in its lower position. For thispurpose, the runner also will have a suitable aper ture 11, and when the apertures 16 and 11 register, the locking tooth 66 may project through them for said locking action, as. indicated in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 3 to l0 are shown details of the telescopical and pivotal connections between the upper and lower sections 18 and 19, of the rib construction 35 of my umbrella. Said pivotal and telescopical connection is generally indicated at 8B.

As has been mentioned, eac-h rib 35 is coinposed of an upper section 18 and a lower one 1S. l'n my umbrella, the upper section 18 will be a flat bar or rod, while the lower section 19 will be formed by a channel shaped member, the upper section being telescopically slidable within the lower one.

When the stick 3| of my umbrella is in the eX- tended position shown in Fig. 2, and the umbrella is not yet open, the pivotal and telescopical `connection 3U between the said sections is in the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and Fig. 3 shows the same in the position when the umbrella is opened up.

A tubular member 8| is placed around the upper end 13a of the lower wire 19, the two tubular or channel members having the respective inward indentations 82and 83, by which the member 8| may be secured on said top portion isa. Pivot lugs or ears 84 project from the sleeve member 8|, and between them is pivoted the flattened upper end 85 of the respective stretcher 35, as indicated at 86. For this purpose, a lling piece 8l may be secured into the upper end of the tubular stretcher 36.

The lower end of the upper section 18 will have two bends or humps 38` in the extended position of the umbrella shown in Fig. 2, said humps enclosing the bends or indentations 82 and S3 between them, and thereby securing the upper and lower wires to one another. There is a weakened spring action portion 39 provided in the upper section 18, and when the urnbrella is to be telescoped, a pressure exerted on the upper section i8 in the direction of arrow 90 will bend the weakened portion l89 outwardly (arrow 9|) whereby the depression 83 in the lower section will be freed from between the projections 88 in the upper one, and the upper section may slide or telescope into the lower one.

To aid in such telescopinfg movement, the lower end of the upper section 18 is formed as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10.

Fig. 9 indicates said lower end before shaped to be used in my device, and it will be seen that the upper section or rod 18 will have a forked lower end, having a longer branch 92 and a shorter bran-ch 93. The two branches will be bent double in the manner indicated in Fig. l0, whereby a ring 9d will be formed at the inner end of the upper rod 18., said4 members or branches projecting youtwardly from the channel shaped lower member 19, and embracing the same (Fig. 8), thereby providing a sliding telescopical connection between the upper and lower sections.

It also will be noted that the upper end of the stretcher member 36is formed into` a cam surface 95, and when the umbrella is opened up, as indicated in an imaginary manner, by dot and dash lines, inFig. 2, said cam will press the upper section, with its projections 88, against the lower section, and places the two into the locking position shown in Fig. 3, while, when the umbrella is in an extended but in a non-operative closed position, indicated by the full lines in Fig. 2, said cam will release said connection, as indicated in Fig. 4, whereby the umbrella will be ready to be telescoped and collapsed.

The covering fabric of the umbrella (not shown) may be secured to the lower ends of. the lower sections, as indicated at 91, then to the upper end of the lower sections, as indicated at- 93, as well as to the upper central knob 33, as generally indicated at 99, as usual, and when the umbrella is telescoped into the position shown in Fig. l, the upper portion of said fabric between the securing points 98 and 99will be folded on itself, while the lower portion between the securing positions 97 and98, will remain intact.

In Figs. 19 to 2l I show a modication of the upper spring or locking construction, generally indicated in the earlier construction by the numeral Bil. The main purposeof this modification is to avoid a one-sided eccentric placing of said spring lock, and in said modification, I form a double spring, generally indicated by the numeral |00, said spring having -a base or securing portion ||l|, a rst branch |02, and a second branch |33, connected by the bend or fold |34, said second branch terminating in a locking tooth |95. Projections of pins |66 are provided on the base of securing portion lili, and appropriate holes will be arranged in the inner or upper tube 39, into which said projections or pins |96 may be snapped, the spring resting against the tube with its base portion l0 l. This construction will provide a very strong spring effect for the locking tooth |65, and this upper spring lock may be arranged between the branches of the upper forked end of the guide and securing rod 5|, forwhich purpose said fork is extended downwardly, providing the space lill into which the modied spring-lock lili) may `be placed, as indicated in Figs. 19 and 2i).

It will be seen that in my invention I provide an umbrella which is simple in construction, reliable in operation, secured in both of its positions, and easily released therefrom, :and which is quick and easy to operate, to collapse telescopically or to extend it, to open it for use, or to close it, retaining such extended position when desired.

It will be seen by inspecting the drawing, and consulting the herein specication, that when the umbrella is in its telescoped, closed position, shown in Fig. 1, it will be in a very compact condition, occupying a small space and being easy to be carried around or to be stored. When it is desired to use the umbrella, the upper and lower knobs 32 and 33 will be simply gripped by the user, and pulled outwardly, as indicated by amasar the respective arrows l and M9. Of course, the lower spring lock 65 will first be pushed inwardly, and the runner 34 released therefrom.

The mentioned, opposite pull at the two ends of the telescoped umbrella will move tube S9 out of tube 38, and the disk 56 in said rst tube will press the locking spring l inwardly, and permit a moving of the tube 39 out of the lower tube 38, until the stick 3l of the umbrella will be in the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the respective parts will snap into the position indicated in Fig. 1l, and secure the stick in its extended position.

The pivoted and sliding members 8) between the stretcher 36 and the rib constructions 35, will be in the position indicated in Fig. el, and will permit an outside moving of the upper section IS from the lower section i9.

When it is desired to open the umbrella, runner 34 will be moved upwardly (arrow l ill) the mentioned member 86 arriving into the condition shown in Fig. 3, wherein the upper cam surfaces 95 of the stretchers 36 will lock the upper and lower sections i6 and i9 to one another.

W hen it is desired to close the umbrella, it will be operated as usual, the upper locking spring 6d being pressed inwardly, and the runner 'it being pulled downwardly, the stretchers 36 turning around the pivots 86, and the sections 16 and 79 remaining in their extended position.

In case it is desired to have the umbrella telescoped and shortened, the lower and upper knobs 32 and 33 will be grasped and pushed against one another oppositely to the indication of the arrows E99 and H39. Such pressure will cause the disk fnl in the upper or inner tube to press the spring 69 inwardly, and terminate the locking engagement of the two tubes, while the outward bending of the upper sections I9, as indicated by the arrow 9i in Fig. 3, and, as has been described hereinbefore, will loosen the locking connection between the upper and lower sections and will permit the upper sections to be telescoped into the lower ones.

I may also remark that the sleeve 8l, being instrumental in connecting the two sections in the umbrella rib, and serving as the outer pivot for the stretchers, may have a channel shaped cross section, as indicated in Figs. 6 and '7, the upper end Sla, thereof being narrower than the lower end Sib, this for the purpose to permit the bending of the inner end of the upper section '18, when its projections 86 are to be released from and pass over the inward indentations 83 and 82 of the lower section i9 and the sleeve 8|, respectively',

While I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that changes and variations may' be resorted to in the elements, construction and combination of my invention, and I reserve my rights to such changes and variations as are within the spirit of this specification, and the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

vWhat I claim as new, and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a collapsible umbrella, having a stick composed of an upper anda lower tube, the upper one being telescopically slidable in the lower one, in combination, a bar secured in the lower tube, axially extendingV in the upper tube, and being freely slidable therein, a `spring arm carried by said bar, normally pressing against the wall of the upper tube, an aperture being provided in said wall at a predetermined position, a head on said spring arm adapted to enter said aperture upon a predetermined relative motion of the two tubes, Vand thereby lock the two tubes to one another, and prevent their Vrelative axial motion,

2. In a collapsible umbrella, as set forthin claim l, a second aperture being provided at a predetermined place in the wall of the lower tube, said locking head of the spring arm being adapted to enter into both apertures when the same are registering with one another, and thereby secure the two tubes against relative twisting motion.

3. In a collapsible umbrella, as set forth in claim 1, said aperture being arranged adjacent to the inner end of the upper tube, and said spring head being near the outer end of the lower tube, whereby said spring will lock the two tubes to one another when they are in a telescopically extended position.

ll. In a collapsible umbrella, as set forth in claim 1, said aperture being arranged adjacent to the inner end of the upper tube, and said spring head being near the outer end of the lower tube, whereby said spring will lock the two tubes to one another when they are in a telescopically extended position, a second spring arm with a locking head, and a second aperture in said upper tube opposite thereof, whereby the outer end of said bar will be forked, forming two oppositely turned spring arms and locking heads.

SIGMUND SCHLESINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,264,476 Ball Apr. 30, 1918 2,063,624 Raab et al Dec. 8, 1936 2,160,231 Schaefer May 30, 1939 2,169,650 Kortenbach Aug. 15, 1939 

